Garmin Bounce 2 Kids Smartwatch Lands in Canada at $399.99

Garmin has launched the Bounce 2, its latest kids’ smartwatch with built-in LTE. The new model lets parents call, text, and track their child’s location directly from the watch, without needing a phone.

In Canada, the Bounce 2 costs $399.99 CAD—nearly double the original Bounce, which launched at $219.99. The data plans run $14.99 per month or $149.99 per year for coverage in Canada and the USA (which is useful for travel).

For comparison, the new Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm) with LTE costs $399, which also requires a data plan from your telecom provider. This is a big price jump compared to the original Bounce.

The watch finally supports two-way calling (this is a big upgrade), text messaging with a full keyboard (instead of preset messages), and voice messages that can also be transcribed for parents (so they don’t need to listen to an audio message if they’re busy). Location tracking is handled through the Garmin Jr. app, which also lets parents set alerts when their child enters or leaves a designated area.

“We are thrilled to introduce Bounce 2, a smartwatch for kids offering the perfect solution for families facing the decision to give their child a smartphone. The watch’s transformed design has a stylish look kids will want to wear, while the connectivity features give parents peace of mind knowing where their kids are 24/7,” said Garmin’s Susan Lyman last week.

For kids, the Bounce 2 includes sports apps to track running, biking, team sports, jump rope and more. It also supports Amazon Music downloads (as long as you have your own Prime subscription), voice commands like “call mom” or “start a timer,” and custom watch faces with animated designs.

The watch now has a round 1.2-inch AMOLED display (instead of square), is water-friendly for swimming, and offers up to two days of battery life (same as before). The proprietary charging port remains, while colour options include light purple, turquoise, and slate gray.